A week after lamenting “the year that wasn’t” and on the eve of the final UFC event of 2017, I wanted to use this week’s column to reflect on some of the high points of this past year and give everyone an early heads up regarding some fights and fighters to watch for in the next 12 months.

Standing in the centre of the cage after 25 frustrating minutes of work, Julia Budd was confident that she had done enough to retain her Bellator MMA featherweight title, but the Port Moody native knew the three officials charged with scoring her championship main event with Arlene Blencowe may have felt otherwise.

Six student-athletes from the University of the Fraser Valley’s wrestling team are set to embark on the trip of a lifetime, turning the dream that inspired coaches Raj Virdi and Arjan Bhullar to launch the program into reality.